Max McRae heads to the Cambrian Rally with the British Rally Championship crown within touching distance, and the chance to write the next chapter of one of rallying’s most famous family stories.
After five dramatic rounds, the 2026 Motorsport UK British Rally Championship arrives at the Lewis & Hunter Cambrian Rally with three drivers still in contention for the coveted crown, Max McRae, Osian Pryce and Meirion Evans.
And for McRae, the prize carries an added significance.
Victory in North Wales would make the 22-year-old the first McRae to lift the British Rally Championship title since his father, Alister, claimed the crown in 1995; 31 years after that Nissan Sunny GTi success.
It would also add another remarkable chapter to a family whose name has been woven into the history of British rallying for generations.
But while the family connection provides a compelling backdrop, McRae has already done more than enough in 2026 to earn his place at the sharp end of the championship on merit.
Driving the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 alongside Cammy Fair, McRae has had a stellar season. After finishing fourth in the opening Severn Valley Stages, he hit back spectacularly on the Jim Clark Rally, taking his first BRC victory of the season before adding another win at Rali Ceredigion on the Friday/Saturday leg. And that Ceredigion victory proved particularly significant.
With championship leader Osian Pryce pushing hard, McRae held his nerve to secure the win and move to the top of the standings. The following day, Meirion Evans responded with maximum points of his own, while Pryce’s gearbox failure brought his Sunday challenge to an abrupt end.
The result left McRae, Evans and Pryce separated by just twenty points heading into the finale, meaning the Cambrian is effectively a winner-takes-all showdown.
McRae arrives as the championship leader, but there is no room for complacency. Evans has been one of the most consistent drivers in the championship throughout the season, while Pryce has already demonstrated his ability to deliver maximum points when the pressure is on.
And there is another reason for McRae to feel confident heading back to North Wales. Twelve months ago, it was here that he announced himself on the BRC stage.
On his first Cambrian Rally in the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, McRae and Fair fought back from a puncture and a fiercely contested final loop to take victory on the last stage; securing McRae’s first BRC event win in the process.
A year later, the same event could deliver something considerably bigger. It is the opportunity to join his grandfather Jimmy, uncle Colin and father Alister as a McRae British Rally Champion.
